Gladius - Roman shortsword reproduced in detail
Legionnaire, be ready for the battle with the Gladius!
The carefully crafted shortsword is made of glued beech solid wood and is painted beautifully. With its length of 53 cm the Gladius corresponds to the original battle tool from the Roman period. From the shaped handle to the blade the sword is amplified by a threaded bar of metal. Therefore you profit from the best stability during the battle. This Gladius for legionnaires is quality good of German manufacture. Order your Gladius now and discover with us the right accessories for your gladiator equipment!
- Length 53 cm
- genuine beech wood
- embedded metal bar for maximum strength
- produced in Germany
Gladius - a small masterpiece of Roman Blacksmithing
As early as during the 3rd and 2nd century BC. the Gladius was used in military actions in Rome. Most likely it was adopted in the period of the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage by the Keltiberen. For that reason it was often called Gladius hispaniensis.
The Gladius was one of the main weapons of the legionnaires and its auxiliaries, which often consisted of slaves. It was an offensive weapon with a 9 cm wide and 50 – 55 cm long blade. The weight was about 1.2 to 1.6 kg. It was worn on the right side of the body in a sheath, which consisted of two pieces of wood and was covered with leather. Later on the blades got shorter and narrower. This had an impact on the weight of the Gladius. Then it weighed only 1 kg and was easier to use. Roman blacksmith developed great skills in the production. The blade was made of iron, the guard plate made of bronze and the handle - usually provided with gripping grooves – was made of bone and wood.
He was often richly decorated with applied ornaments in hammered, stamped or pressed metal and therefore an ornament for his wearer.
The Roman legionary was traveling with heavy luggage
The job as a legionary was certainly not easy.
Nearly 50 kg weighed his luggage, which he had to carry on military expeditions. In addition to the Gladius he owned among other things the Scutum. This was a large rectangular shield, which was carried for protection in a leather sheath. In addition to that the legionary wore his armor, the Pugio (a double-edged dagger), a helmet and a spear called Pila. Apart from all the war equipment he had to take his personal clothes, cooking and eating utensils, belts, oil lamp and comb with him. Also a warm coat was important which protected him from rain and served as a sleeping mat at night.
He had to cook for himself and buy the food on his own. Even for the small part in a tent, where he slept along with seven other soldiers, he had to pay.
The Legion, in which he fought, was a hierarchical and highly organized company with about 11000 men (auxiliary force included).
It was run by a staff of 11 officers, although there were other supervisors in the small subgroups. The manager of a hundred was the centurion. They recognized him by his cross made plume, he wore a Gladius as well.
The Roman legionary tactics
The Gladius was used after the attacks with the spear. If the spear stuck in the shields of the enemy army, and the soldiers were thus restricted in their freedom of movement, the Roman legions used their Gladius.
A high-quality replica of the Roman shortsword
The shortsword of 53 cm length is made of glued beech solid wood and is painted beautifully. The shortsword corresponds to its original from the Roman period. From the shaped handle to the blade it is amplified by a threaded bar of metal. Therefore you profit from the best stability during role-playing games.
The beautiful Gladius is reminiscent of the heyday of the Roman culture more than two millennia ago. This culture was crucial for all European countries.
Forum Traiani ®
